There’s a lot to be said for states that have legalized recreational and/or medical cannabis, but even Colorado and Washington have one problem – arbitrary blood-THC limits which imply a driver is impaired.

These numbers, such as Washington’s 5ng/ml, have no scientific basis for assessing the level of impairment. Despite this, six states with legal weed have per se limits for tetrahydrocannabinol; being over that number automatically makes you guilty of driving under the influence of drugs (DUID).

Oregon, however, is bucking the trend. In its DUI Legislative Report, the state’s Liquor Control Commission said it is recommending against a per se THC limit. By relying on the actual state of science, this welcome exercise in rationality should set an example for other states setting up their own regulatory framework.

Oregon’s Liquor Control Commission was tasked in 2015 with “regulating the recreational marijuana market in Oregon, with studying the question of THC-related intoxicated driving.”

A widely-reported study by the American Automobile Association in 2016 found no scientific basis for blood-THC limits and called on the six states using such laws to abandon them. Chemical tests for THC have not been shown to correlate to things like brake and gas pedal coordination, distance perception and general attention.

READ MORE: Sheriff Threatens Lawmaker with Violence for Supporting Medical Cannabis Legislation
The only thing we know about blood-THC and driving is that it is not comparable to the tests for alcohol impairment. There is no THC breathalyzer test, and urine tests cannot detect it. Some blood tests can distinguish between THC and its longer-lasting metabolites, but these levels can vary widely depending on how often the person uses cannabis. Test results will also vary based on whether one smoked or ate the cannabis.

One person can feel impaired at 5ng/ml while another can function with no detectable impairment. In fact, many people charged with DUID based on arbitrary blood-THC limits have convinced juries they were not impaired when they were pulled over.

Sorry dude, but one person can drink 6 beers with no impairment and another cant. There has to be a one size fits all in this somewhere.

I agree to a point. The DUI laws now are beyond ridiculous and just applying that retardism to a completely different substance is insane and using a blood test to "prove" intoxication from weed in no way works unless you talk to TNV.

What I find interesting about this is that they are bucking federal law on two fronts the criminalization of a plant and the how the federal government has been dictating how states police their roads.

I agree to a point. The DUI laws now are beyond ridiculous and just applying that retardism to a completely different substance is insane and using a blood test to "prove" intoxication from weed in no way works unless you talk to TNV.

What I find interesting about this is that they are bucking federal law on two fronts the criminalization of a plant and the how the federal government has been dictating how states police their roads.

The thing with DUI laws is they are not designed to really stop drunk drivers. Drunk drivers fund a hell of a lot of stuff. If there was a real push to stop drunk driving there would be mandatory breathalyzer in every new car just like seat belts. DUI is a revenue maker. That was obvious when it was lowered to .08.

The thing with DUI laws is they are not designed to really stop drunk drivers. Drunk drivers fund a hell of a lot of stuff. If there was a real push to stop drunk driving there would be mandatory breathalyzer in every new car just like seat belts. DUI is a revenue maker. That was obvious when it was lowered to .08.

Now here if you get a DUI you have to rent some crazy breathalyzer for your car for some crazy price like $200/mo and the thing goes off when you are driving. So here you are driving 60mph in traffic and you have to blow into a tube as you are getting your picture taken. Are you telling me that is better for public safety then having a .09 BAC?

A DUI costs at least $10k and is one of the only "crimes" that you are guilty of as soon as you are accused of and must demonstrate your "innocents" to the state.

Now here if you get a DUI you have to rent some crazy breathalyzer for your car for some crazy price like $200/mo and the thing goes off when you are driving. So here you are driving 60mph in traffic and you have to blow into a tube as you are getting your picture taken. Are you telling me that is better for public safety then having a .09 BAC?

A DUI costs at least $10k and is one of the only "crimes" that you are guilty of as soon as you are accused of and must demonstrate your "innocents" to the state.

Stupid people should be banned and make everyone take an intelligence test written in English. Pass or Fail without a sliding grade scale for anyone. I'm talking about a standard IQ test and below 100 is Fail and they can't vote or get a driver's license, etc.

Stupid people should be banned and make everyone take an intelligence test written in English. Pass or Fail without a sliding grade scale for anyone. I'm talking about a standard IQ test and below 100 is Fail and they can't vote or get a driver's license, etc.

Just make it to reproduce and everything will sort it out in a few generations.